The Lough frozen solid !

Was speaking to Dad on the phone before I left Galway earlier, he was telling me that the Lough was frozen so hard there was loads and loads of people walking on it, I'm 29 and can just about remember the last time it was frozen. Excuse the shocking pics but I am no photographer





Everyone was taking pics of this dude, good to see one still about after so many died during the summer, he enjoyed the attention, Swan Cruise he said his name was



One of the sister's dog in one of her moods :rolleyes: No way would she face the camera for me, this photo is called "Fifi on ice".

Oafley Jones

The ice isn't that thick, only just over an inch so it's not the safest, especially for some of our fatter citizens out there. One guy has already gone in today and another went in 3 or 4 days ago - it went from him just at the edge, after getting out he collapsed and threw up all over the place with the shock.

Oh I agree, I wasn't using frozen solid in the literal sense, it's more than an inch today though, the Council broke a portion to allow the birds have access to the water, it's over 2 inches thick there. I'm over 15 stone and there was no way I was chancing it. Today there was absolutely 100s of people on it though.

deRanged

I just heard there's a JCB up there now, breaking the ice to stop people going out onto it.

deRanged

deRanged wrote: »

I just heard there's a JCB up there now, breaking the ice to stop people going out onto it.

Quite likely, the Guards were there before tea time asking people to come off it, there was some lads in the crib too which isn't on either. Safer for the birds too if people/dogs can't get out to the island. Folks have had their fun now.

dewdrop

And they stole baby Jesus from the crib!

deRanged

dewdrop wrote: »

And they stole baby Jesus from the crib!

and he was later found "embedded in the snow and ice"
undamaged though, which is good.

Yep, just had a peak out the door, chap in a JCB working away, he'll be at it a while doing the entire circumference.

RandomAccess

deRanged wrote: »

I just heard there's a JCB up there now, breaking the ice to stop people going out onto it.

Sad we have to protect people from themselves to this degree, It just opens the door wider to the compo culture.

Had a look while the ice was being broken just now, it's about 4 inches thick.

deRanged

there's a pond out by us, I'd say it's two feet deep. it's frozen over.
my dad was just telling me there were kids on it today, one of whom was trying to smash the ice with a rock. at his feet
so much for our knowledge economy.

DamienH

Emergency Cork beers on ice tonight, it'd add an interesting dynamic.

beer enigma

There was a woman pushing a pram across it earlier today :eek:

Its probably fairly deep towards the middle ? Any ideas how deep ?

Andip

Andip wrote: »

There was a woman pushing a pram across it earlier today :eek:

Its probably fairly deep towards the middle ? Any ideas how deep ?

Apparently 6 foot is the deepest it is but it doesn't get gradually deeper from the outside edge in if you know what I mean. Can be 4 foot deep then 6 foot deep next to it. I saw a young lad cycling across it too today on a mountain bike.

Leeside

The frozen Lough even made the BBC website. Check out the 2nd last pic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8446490.stm

Paul91

Leeside wrote: »

The frozen Lough even made the BBC website. Check out the 2nd last pic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8446490.stm

I heard the lad that went in today was trying to get his dog? I know the lad is safe - did the dog make it out?

Yep, my Dad saw it happen, he was speaking to the chap afterwards, dog and dude were ok. About an hour later though another chap went in as well, fire brigade ambulance etc all called, he was taken away in the ambulance covered in the tin foil stuff according to a neighbour.

deRanged

the examiner mentions that a couple of people went through the ice yesterday.

NoDice

Wow!! I just saw your comment on the other thread OP and then saw everything here! Great pics but frightening! There's no way I'd walk out on it!! Was showing the guys in work and the first thing said was "Imagine falling in!" Remember those films where someone falls in and then can't get back out cause they are trapped UNDER the ice!!!

Very sad about the people that have fallen in. Idiot kids selling the crib. It's ridiculous that the council have to save us from ourselves...

mik_da_man

You think the lough frozen solid is impressive?
This a proper lake 3 miles from my parents house in Meath!
Frozen solid

Funsies

Pure gob****es the lot of them for sending out the JCB and ruining everyone's fun. ****ing nanny state with their 'think of the children' bull****. nobody is allowed to think for themselves anymore, every decision has to be made for them by the council/government.

i hope teh bureaucrats who sent out the lad with the JCB fall into a river and freeze to death and the guy driving the JCB falls off a cliff.

what a ****ing boring world we live in, finally we get something out of the ordinary, a bit of ice and these office dwellers at the council go out of their way to send out this ****er with his JCB to ruin it for everyone in case of some unlikely disaster scenario they thought up involving children actually happens.

but these ****ers working for the council have been stuck inside the office for too long, have no clue about reality at all - these are the same ****heads that don't even change their own lightbulbs because they actually believe it would be better if a Qualified Electrician with all the most recent certificates does it for them.

mik_da_man

Do you have any cop on?
it would probablly take someone falling in and drowning to make you realise how dangerous it actually is. at that point it is too late
I can understand how you feel that they are ruining your fun, but I have to agree with them.
People have fallen in already, one was taken to hospital.
If it was left as it was someone else would have fallen in and likley could have had a worse outcome.

tictac2580

Funsies wrote: »

Pure gob****es the lot of them for sending out the JCB and ruining everyone's fun. ****ing nanny state with their 'think of the children' bull****. nobody is allowed to think for themselves anymore, every decision has to be made for them by the council/government.

i hope teh bureaucrats who sent out the lad with the JCB fall into a river and freeze to death and the guy driving the JCB falls off a cliff.

what a ****ing boring world we live in, finally we get something out of the ordinary, a bit of ice and these office dwellers at the council go out of their way to send out this ****er with his JCB to ruin it for everyone in case of some unlikely disaster scenario they thought up involving children actually happens.

but these ****ers working for the council have been stuck inside the office for too long, have no clue about reality at all - these are the same ****heads that don't even change their own lightbulbs because they actually believe it would be better if a Qualified Electrician with all the most recent certificates does it for them.

I'm going to hope you're joking...because you're just another one of those brain-dead idiots otherwise....ruining your fun...what are you...five!...I'm sure theres plenty of "fun" activities you can do other than risk your life and waste the time of the garda and ambulance crews that are called out to save the likes of you..:mad:

Funsies

Funsies wrote: »

Pure gob****es the lot of them for sending out the JCB and ruining everyone's fun. ****ing nanny state with their 'think of the children' bull****. nobody is allowed to think for themselves anymore, every decision has to be made for them by the council/government.

When I saw the Lough frozen my initial concerns were for the wildlife, the ice was allowing people (some sh1theads no doubt) and dogs access to the island where the ducks, geese and whatever swans that are left live. I am no expert in wildlife but in a couple of months the birds are all seen parading about with their new families so perhaps there are eggs in nests out there (only a presumption but I think ducks & geese don't have nests in trees). The Lough is a bird sanctuary and the wildlife's best interests should be the priority.

mik_da_man

mik_da_man wrote: »

This a proper lake 3 miles from my parents house in Meath!
Frozen solid

That's a nice pic and very impressive, I would like to point out that The Lough is also a proper lake in every sense I get the impression you somehow think it isn't for some reason

mik_da_man

Ok, Fair enough.
I'm from north meath, quite close to cavan.
Loads of lakes there and they are all an awful lot bigger than the lough.
So I see the lough as a big pond TBH - no offence meant

Sephiroth_dude

Wow never seen it like that before

cdbrock

RoverJames wrote: »

That's a nice pic and very impressive, I would like to point out that The Lough is also a proper lake in every sense I get the impression you somehow think it isn't for some reason

birds do not lay eggs at this time of year sir. Secondly i was there on the lough 2 hours ago and areas of the ice that had been broken earlier by the jcb had frozen again. People were crossing over this thinner ice at the edge to access the thicker ice further out and were kicking a football out there. At the same time further down along, the city council jcb was still working around the edge breaking the ice making the ice more unsafe. Better to use the jcb gritting the roads and stop making the lock unsafe. If somebody falls thro' the ice now i reckon they have a better argument for suing the city council. Its all health and safety nowadays and the country is gone to rack and ruin. Hands off the ice lads. Get the children away from the telly and the playstations and let them have some real fun.

Outkast_IRE

cdbrock wrote: »

birds do not lay eggs at this time of year sir. Secondly i was there on the lough 2 hours ago and areas of the ice that had been broken earlier by the jcb had frozen again. People were crossing over this thinner ice at the edge to access the thicker ice further out and were kicking a football out there. At the same time further down along, the city council jcb was still working around the edge breaking the ice making the ice more unsafe. Better to use the jcb gritting the roads and stop making the lock unsafe. If somebody falls thro' the ice now i reckon they have a better argument for suing the city council. Its all health and safety nowadays and the country is gone to rack and ruin. Hands off the ice lads. Get the children away from the telly and the playstations and let them have some real fun.

they wont have much of an argument if theres signs saying dont go on the ice , i seen parents with babies in buggies goin out on it !!! if a buggy went it that could be the end of the baby.... idiots !!!

NoDice

Funsies wrote: »

Pure gob****es the lot of them for sending out the JCB and ruining everyone's fun. ****ing nanny state with their 'think of the children' bull****. nobody is allowed to think for themselves anymore, every decision has to be made for them by the council/government.

i hope teh bureaucrats who sent out the lad with the JCB fall into a river and freeze to death and the guy driving the JCB falls off a cliff.

what a ****ing boring world we live in, finally we get something out of the ordinary, a bit of ice and these office dwellers at the council go out of their way to send out this ****er with his JCB to ruin it for everyone in case of some unlikely disaster scenario they thought up involving children actually happens.

but these ****ers working for the council have been stuck inside the office for too long, have no clue about reality at all - these are the same ****heads that don't even change their own lightbulbs because they actually believe it would be better if a Qualified Electrician with all the most recent certificates does it for them.

Way to ruin the happy chats "funsies". Generalisations like the above and uneducated malicious comments are exactly what I'd expect from somebody who would be naive enough to carelessly skip across a frozen over lake, fall through and only then realise how dangerous it is.

I think what the council have done this time around was brilliant. They've more than likely saved a few lives, they're protecting whatever wildlife are sticking it out in the bushes AND are preventing further damage to the already affected Christmas crib.

Ta daa!!

colblimp

Funsies wrote: »

Pure gob****es the lot of them for sending out the JCB and ruining everyone's fun. ****ing nanny state with their 'think of the children' bull****. nobody is allowed to think for themselves anymore, every decision has to be made for them by the council/government.

i hope teh bureaucrats who sent out the lad with the JCB fall into a river and freeze to death and the guy driving the JCB falls off a cliff.

what a ****ing boring world we live in, finally we get something out of the ordinary, a bit of ice and these office dwellers at the council go out of their way to send out this ****er with his JCB to ruin it for everyone in case of some unlikely disaster scenario they thought up involving children actually happens.

but these ****ers working for the council have been stuck inside the office for too long, have no clue about reality at all - these are the same ****heads that don't even change their own lightbulbs because they actually believe it would be better if a Qualified Electrician with all the most recent certificates does it for them.

Troll. :rolleyes:

NoDice

mik_da_man wrote: »

You think the lough frozen solid is impressive?
This a proper lake 3 miles from my parents house in Meath!
Frozen solid

Beautiful pic man! I'm easily impressed! Spent a while sliding on the tiniest bit of ice in the car park a while ago. Woopee!!!

Sorry now but I'm not usually one to defend the council but in this case with the lough they have made a very good decision. Yeah a frozen lake is a bit of fun but it isn't particularly thick ice guys. If you want to salvage a bit of fun out of the ice and skate on it, go ice skating in the rinks that have been set up for that purpose. Don't risk falling into freezing water for a cheap laugh.

And rabble rabble rabble about the grit. I agree they haven't been very efficient nor have they made many good decisions about what to do with and where to place the grit but they've hit all the bridges every morning in the city at least. Alot of cars are still driving fast despite the icy conditions. My friend was driving on the link the Bcollig last week really slowly but on the hard shoulder. A taxi came up behind her, beeped for ages and then sped off, only to swerve across to the other lane and had to stop. Also there's been kids pulling hand brake turns and speeding in the ice to PURPOSEFULLY skid. Even with other cars around!

We're our own worst enemy and the best at pointing fingers. Take your own advise and have a bit of fun.

Oh oh - CHILL out! :cool:

BMurr

The iced over lough was stunningly beautiful yesterday. I had a go at standing on the ice and walking about on it, my near to 16 stone didn't seem to trouble it. However on the opposite side of the lough by nthe hawthorne pub you have an area where the ice is thin and broken and the birds are able to feed and swim there. The ice at the opposite end was about 3 inches thick which is OK to support the weight of an adult, however when you think about the broken ice near hawthorne pub anyone with half a brain will trealise that it is best to stay well away from the weaker side of the lough. Unfortunately some foolish folk go into the water at the hawthrone side and inevitably grab the headlines with their rescues. The council then with their wisdom borne of years serving the public;) decide that they will break all of the ice around the adge, the digger audibly strains when breaking the ice so it can't be that weak and the thickness of te ice is visible in the debris. Unfortunately we live in a society where people cannot be given responsibility for their lives aand their safety, we have to step in with the nanny state and screw the majority the sake of the minority who haven't the wherewithall to make it through life without beng constantly held by the hand of the nanny state. I'd say that Fr. Brown would turn in his grave to see such a beautifull scene spoiled by the council. Sure health and safety is an issue to be considered but you have to draw the line somewhere maybe we should put big railings around the lough just in case anone should fall in at other times of the year:rolleyes:

Papa_Lazarou

I realy dont understand how people can say the ince is grand etc etc. When a small dog can break through the ice then from the previous pics wheres theres 20-30 on it just seems like pure stupidity. Fair enough if you stand by the edge to get your pic and whatever but there was a pic on the echo of a mother with her 1yr old child out far enough. I mean do people realy have any common sense nowadays? Theres nothing about the council "ruining" peoples fun but the fact that when you fall in ,you are falling into freezing waters. That guy that fell in yesterday or the day before had to be rescued and wasnt simply able to stand up and get back up on the ice.

rebel.ranter

People are morons, the council had no choice.

Papa_Lazarou

People will complain when the council do nothing, and then will complain again when they actualy do.
Some people are just very hard to comprehend

BMurr

rebel.ranter wrote: »

People are morons, the council had no choice.

Ah yes, the morons. Our whole state is geared up for them and seemingly run by their political equivalent. E.G. If you're too incompetent to make your way in life become a single parent and we'll give you all the stuff that people had to do for themselves for millions of years like a roof over your head, food, heat etc. Oh and if your too stupid to not realise that the ice near the side of the lake with holes in it might be just a little bit thin then don't worry well just get rid of all the ice in the lake to keep you safe even if it is over three inches think on the other side and capable of supporting the weight of large adults.

If we are still evolving as a species then the future isn't bright so long as we cater for the moronic minority.

NoDice

BMurr wrote: »

Ah yes, the morons. Our whole state is geared up for them and seemingly run by their political equivalent. E.G. If you're too incompetent to make your way in life become a single parent and we'll give you all the stuff that people had to do for themselves for millions of years like a roof over your head, food, heat etc. Oh and if your too stupid to not realise that the ice near the side of the lake with holes in it might be just a little bit thin then don't worry well just get rid of all the ice in the lake to keep you safe even if it is over three inches think on the other side and capable of supporting the weight of large adults.

If we are still evolving as a species then the future isn't bright so long as we cater for the moronic minority.

I bet you're a happy sparkly tap dancing sprite!!

Herb Powell

looks like far too many people went on at the same time. I live out the country, and the lake near my house froze much thicker, but we still tried to spread out as much as possible. Cracks would still appear occasionally. I wouldn't chance the Lough at all